Press Releases

INDIANAPOLIS, IN. – The American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) launched today a national service project aimed at building volunteer capacity to alleviate poverty among veterans, military service members, and their families. The ALA announced the initiative, the American Legion Auxiliary Call to Service Corps VISTA Project, at its annual convention in Louisville, Kentucky, and as a component of the ALA's observance of Safety and Security Week within President Obama's United We Serve national service initiative.

Spotlight on Volunteers Rebuilding After Katrina and Supporting Veterans and Military FamiliesWashington D.C. - This week President Obama's United We Serve initiative will spotlight the key role that volunteers play in supporting veterans and military families and in helping communities prepare for and recover from disasters as part of Safety and Security Week.

Washington DC – The Corporation for National and Community Service today announced grants to eight organizations to engage 553 new AmeriCorps members in improving lives and strengthening communities.The members supported by these grants will teach and tutor at-risk youth, construct homes, promote health in rural and immigrant communities, expand parental involvement in schools, provide elder services, and mobilize and manage other volunteers.

Initiative Highlights Millions of Americans Working Every Day to Improve Health CareWashington, DC—The United We Serve initiative is highlighting the efforts of Americans who volunteer to promote healthy living and expand access to health services across the nation during Health Week, August 10-16. In conjunction with National Community Health Center Week, United We Serve will focus special attention on grassroots health programs addressing community needs.

Washington D.C. - This week President Obama's United We Serve initiative will spotlight the countless ways that volunteers promote energy efficiency, address climate change, and preserve our natural environment as part of Energy and Environment Week.

Washington DC - The Corporation for National and Community Service today announced 36 Learn and Serve America grants totaling nearly $20 million to engage students across the nation in service-learning projects that promote community service while enhancing students' academic and civic skills.

NYC Mayor & National Service CEO Launch NYC Civic Corps,Swear In VISTAs at City Hall New York City – Help is on the way for more than 50 organizations fighting poverty in New York City, thanks to Recovery Act funding that is supporting nearly 200 AmeriCorps VISTA members who will engage New Yorkers in volunteer efforts to battle poverty in the nation's most populous city.

Washington DC - The Corporation for National and Community Service today announced 36 Learn and Serve America grants totaling nearly $20 million to engage students across the nation in service-learning projects that promote community service while enhancing students' academic and civic skills.

Washington DC - United We Serve, President Obama's call to service initiative, is marking July 27-August 2 as Education Week, highlighting the countless Americans who roll up their sleeves to read with a child, volunteer at a library, organize a book drive, and strengthen education and learning in other ways.Each issue week shines a spotlight on service projects taking place across the country and features stories of ordinary people who make a difference in their communities.

Washington DC. - Faith-based organizations have a profound impact on volunteering in the United States, according to a report released today by the Corporation for National and Community Service.The Volunteering in America 2009 report found that more than one third of America's 61.8 million volunteers (35.9%) served with or through a religious organization in 2008, more than any other type of organization.

New Federal Report Ranks 50 States and 200 Cities, Shows Young Adults & “Do-It-Yourself” Volunteers Leading Compassion BoomWashington, DC – A new report released today by the Corporation for National and Community Service finds that even during a time of prolonged economic recession, volunteering has remained steady, fueled by a compassion boom led by young adults and a wave of do-it-yourself volunteers working with their neighbors to fix problems.

From the 2009 National Conference on Volunteering and Service, this forum presented innovative strategies that solved public problems and considered how citizens can be engaged as partners with government. Building on this presentation, government officials and social innovators explored models of social innovation that have changed lives and the conditions that support social innovations.

(Washington, D.C.) – The NFL Players Association (NFLPA), which represents every NFL player, is teaming up with the Corporation for National and Community Service, to encourage Americans to answer the President and First Lady's call to service and make a difference in their communities.

Serve.gov website to highlight volunteers battling hunger, homelessness, and poverty Washington D.C. -- Starting today and lasting through the rest of the summer, President Obama's United We Serve initiative is kicking off a series of issue weeks that will shine the spotlight on Americans who are joining with their neighbors to tackle tough challenges through volunteer service.

Washington, DC - The Corporation for National and Community Service is seeking applications from former AmeriCorps members who are interested in serving as the 2009-2010 Eli Segal Fellow, a year-long leadership opportunity to help advance national service policy, operations, and strategy from the Office of the CEO at Corporation headquarters.This prestigious fellowship was created in 2006 to honor the legacy of Eli Segal, who was a key architect of the 1993 national service legislation and served as the first CEO of the Corporation from 1993 to 1995. Segal died in February 2006.

Washington, DC - The Corporation for National and Community Service has awarded Pfizer Inc its Billion + Change award in recognition of the global pharmaceutical company's outstanding leadership in pro bono service.The award was presented during the recent National Conference on Volunteering and Service, which drew nearly 5,000 volunteering and service leaders to San Francisco for three days of networking, training, and planning to increase the scale and impact of volunteering across the US and around the world.

All-Star Game Highlights President Obama's United We Serve Initiative; MLB is First Sports League to Team with United We Serve Washington D.C. -- Responding to President Obama's call to service, Major League Baseball is making community service an overriding theme of the 80th All-Star Game and related events taking place in St. Louis this week.

Washington, DC - Today, President Obama and Mrs. Obama will join hundreds of Congressional family members and five national nonprofit organizations in a United We Serve event sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The project will benefit the children of military families.

Entertainers, Political Leaders “Pump Up” National Conference on Volunteering and Service San Francisco, CA – Speaking to a record-breaking 5,000 attendees, First Lady Michelle Obama called on all Americans to participate in our nation's renewal and recovery in a keynote address at the opening session of the National Conference on Volunteering and Service at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA.

San Francisco — The Corporation for National and Community Service today honored outstanding three Senior Corps volunteers and four AmeriCorps members with Spirit of Service Awards at the National Conference and Volunteering and Service. The awards are given annually to volunteers and members who have performed exemplary service in their communities.

San Francisco, CA - The Corporation for National and Community Service today announced a collaborative initiative with Microsoft Corp.'s U.S. Partners in Learning to design and establish a new national, student-driven virtual helpdesk for K-12 teachers and non-profits. Over the next three years, Microsoft and CNCS will create a program which aligns a student service opportunity with President Obama's United We Serve initiative. It will focus on giving students real-world learning experiences as they support non-profits and teachers who are using technology in the classroom.

The First Lady marked the kick off of United We Serve yesterday, where she joined California's First Lady Maria Shriver to build a playground at Bret Harte Elementary, a public school in San Francisco. The First Lady worked with KaBOOM!, an organization that aims to create safe and fun places for kids to play within walking distance of their homes. They have been building playgrounds in underserved communities for 14 years, relying on volunteers across the country.

Foundations, Nonprofits, Entertainment Leaders Support President's CallEDITORS NOTE: The National Conference on Volunteering and Service opening plenary featuring First Lady Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, California First Lady Maria Shriver, Jon Bon Jovi, Matthew McConaughey, and other speakers will be live webcast at www.volunteeringandservice.org from 4:30 to 6:30 pm Pacific Time

Next Monday, the 2009 National Conference will kick off at a time of unprecedented momentum for service and volunteering. To help more of you experience the excitement of the Conference, we are – for the first time ever – offering a live webcast of some of the proceedings.